Indoor golf practice device



June 22, 1948. J. w. ANDERSON 2,443,759

INDOOR GOLF PRACTICE I DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 28 IIOI V [0 9| 24 24 FIG. 3

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(Icon Q noon L0 1977-0 AG/VE Y6 Patented June 22, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE INDOOR GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE John W. Anderson, Portland,Oreg.

Application August 9, 1946, Serial No. 689,333

4 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement devices, and more particularly to agolf practice device adapted for indoor use.

An object of the invention is to provide a golf game device of theindoor puttin practice variety having an automatic positive action ballreturn.

Another object of the invention is to provide simulated golf practicedevice comprising a tar get having a plurality of receptacles andelectrical means associated therewith to impart suflicient kineticenergy to a golf ball received by any of the receptacles to return saidgolf ball a predetermined distance from the device to the player.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the drawings formingpart of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section along lines 2--2 of Fig. 1 with the cover ofthe device in open position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the cover also in openposition;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the electrical ball return means embodiedin the invention;

Fig. 5 is an end view in elevation taken along lines 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view in section taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings for more specific details of the invention, [8indicates generally a housing comprised of a front wall M, a rear walll6 of greater height than the wall I4, side walls l8 and 20 havingangularly inclined upper edges, a movable cover 22 secured by hinges 24to the front wall l4, and an immovable cover 26 secured to walls l4, I6and I8. The housing has no floor. The front wall 14 has a passage 28 cuttherein and a handle 38 is secured to the central portion of said wallto facilitate carrying of the device. A spring clasp 32 secured to thewall [6 is adapted to secure the cover 22 in the closed position of Fig.1, while the cover 22 is provided with a bevelled end surface 34 toallow the juxtaposition of said end surface with a floor surface. Awedge 36 extending the width of cover 22 is secured thereto for apurpose hereinafter disclosed.

A. support panel 38 having a large circular aperture therethrough issecured to the walls I4, I6 and 28 and underlies the cover 22 when thelatter is in the closed position. Secured to the periphery of theaperture in panel 38 is a circular ring 48 having attached to the lowerend thereof a circular panel 42, said panel 42 having a centrallylocated aperture 44 therethrough and apertures 46 and 48 spacedoutwardly from aperture 44 and in radial alignment therewith. A ring 58is secured to the periphery of aperture 44, while another ring 52equi-spaced from rings 48 and 50 is secured to the surface of panel 42.

A wire ball track 54 is secured to the underside of panel 42 to underliethe apertures 44, 46 and 48, said track having a right angled turn, asshown, and having a flattened end portion 56 secured to the floor of thehousing I!) adjacent the sidewall 18. The track 54 has a downward bend58 adjacent the right angled turn for a purpose hereinafter described,and a wire support 60 having one end connected to each of the panels 38and 42 underlies the track 54 at the right angled turn to brace saidtrack.

Secured to the wall I8 is a solenoid assembly indicated generally at 62comprising a housing 64 supporting a metal sleeve 66 having sheathedthereon a rubber insulation tube 68 supporting a multi-layered coil 10.Movably supported within the sleeve 66 is an armature l2 yieldinglyurged by spring 14 to abut a rubber stop member 16 carried by an angleiron member 18 secured to the wall I8.

A pair of wire leads and 82 leading from a wall outlet or the like, notshown, pass through a rubber grommet 84, and are connected,respectively, to the coil 10 and to a switch contact 86 supported by aswitch assembly 88 attached to the wall l8. Another lead 9|] connectsthe coil 10 to another switch contact 92. A switch arm 94 supported bythe assembly 88 has an extension member 96 of a non-conducting materialextending through an aperture 98 in the housing 64 over the track 54,and said arm is connected by a snap action spring llltl to contact 86.The spring I00 normally maintains the contacts 86 and 92 out ofengagement. A stop member I02 adapted to limit the movement of extension96 is secured to the base of the housing 64,

The device is operable in the following manner. The player strokes orputts a golf ball along the floor and up the ramp-like cover 22. Theball rises into the air upon striking the wedge 36 to follow a parabolicpath and descent within the space defined by one of the rings 40, 50 and52. The ball then drops through one of the apertures 44, 46 and 48 ontothe track 54, comes to a virtual halt upon reaching the downward bend 58in said track, and rolls down the track to strike. the extension 96 andcause a deflection of said extension toward the stop member I02 and aconsequent snap action of spring H10, just prior to the striking of saidstop member by the extension 96, to snap contacts 86 and 92 together toclose the solenoid circuit and impel armature 12 inwardly of sleeve 66against the action of spring 14. The forward end of the armature passesout of the housing 64 to strike the ball which has come to rest on theflattened portion 56 of track 54 in alignment with the armature, saidball also serving to maintain the extension 96 in deflected position.The ball is driven off the track 54 to pass through the aperture 28 inwall l4 and return to the player. As the ball is driven fromjuxtaposition with the extension 96; the arm 94 provides a spring actionto return the extension 95 to a point where the arm 94 and the extension96 are snapped back to their original position by the snap action springI to separate the contacts 86 and 92, 'de-energize the coil and allowthe armature 12 to be withdrawn by spring 14 to abut the rubber stopmember 16. The device is then in readiness for the next cycle ofoperation.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, the device is susceptive of modifications within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an amusement device of the ball return type, a target locatedabove floor level, means to receive a ball from the target and convey itto substantially floor level, and power operated impelling meansactuated by said ball and operable to project said ball at floor leveltoward a player located at a distance from said device.

2. In an amusement device of the ball return type, a target, guide meansassociated therewith to receive a ball therefrom and convey it tosubstantially floor level, and electrical means actuated by the ball andmovable substantially horizontally to strike the ball and. return it toa player remotely located with respect to the device.

3. A golf putting device comprising a target located above floor level,means to convey a rolling ball to the target, means to receive the ballfrom the target and convey it to substantially floor level, and-electrical means energized by the ball to strike said ball and returnit linearly to a player located at a distance from the device.

4. A golf putting device comprising a target located above floor level,a ramp to raise a rolling ball from floor level to the target, guidemeans to convey the ball from the target to substantially floor level,movable switch means in the path of the ball, a solenoid energized bythe movement of said switch caused by said ball, an armature movable byenergization of the solenoid to impel the ball linearly to a playerremotely located from the device, means to snap the switch means to itsoriginal position to de-energize the solenoid, and means to return thearmature to its original position.

JOHN W. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

